Car-coupling.



1 J. KELSO.

GAR COUPLING.`

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 3, 1913. v 1,095,462. Patented May 5, 1914 y 3SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J.- KELSO.

OAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED 1320.3, 1913.

. 1 095 462 Patented Maya 1914n 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

6 il A 4 l@ f i l Il 1 4 l H/Q 1 j 4 i7" E/ J. KELSO.

GAR GOUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED DBG. a. 1913.

1,095,462, Patented May 5, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

narran srnrns 'rn'rnnr ernten.

JOSEPH KELSO, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MCCONWAY & TORLEYCOMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-CGUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Application filed December 3, 1913. Serial No. 804,377.

To all whom 11M/my concern.'

Be it known that I, JOSEPH KnLso, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCar-Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable-othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to vertical plane type car couplers for railwaycars and preferably to those couplers which are provided with avertically movable lock and a knuckle opening lever, and consists in soforming and locating the said lever that a limited movement of theoperating mechanism therefor will cause a complete opening movement ofsaid knuckle.

To this end the main features of my invention generally stated, consistin pivoting beneath the oor of the coupler head a knuckle opening lever,and in connecting to the lower portion of the lock operating means forsaid lever, and so locating the said lever that one arm thereof willContact with the rear face of the knuckle tail in all positions of saidtail.

As a result of locating the knuckle opening lever beneath the floor ofthe coupler head, the weight and vertical height of the head may bedecreased, thus increasing the strength of the coupler head. Anotheradvantage which results from the location of the knuckle openingmechanism is that such location permits the use on passenger cars of aknuckle opening couplerin which the locking pin extends through theupper wall of the coupler head, such form of coupler being renderedcapable of practical use owing to the increased clearance space madeavailable between the top of the coupler and the lower side of theplatform or butler.

There are other features of my invention `as will appear from a moredetailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, the scope of said invention being pointed outin the claims.

The type of coupler head chosen for the purpose of illustrating oneapplication of my invention is shown and described in the patent toWilliam Kelso, No. 950,485, patented March l, 1910, and it is to beexpressly understood that my invention is not limited to the form ofpivoted coupler head shown thereinl but may be used with other andwidely different types.

Throughout the specification and drawings like numerals designate likeparts.

Figure 1 is a top plan view, parts being broken away to more clearlyshow my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2 2 ofFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1. Fig. 1 is a partial horizontal section on the line H of Fig. 3.Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the operating mechanism forthe knuckle opening lever. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the couplerhead and stem or drawbar, showing in section the buffer beam, bufferplate and carry iron. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4E but showing aslightly modied construction, and, Fig. 8 is a vertical section on theline 8-8, of Fig. 7, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

Referring rst to the preferred form shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive,the coupler head is generally designated by the reference numeral 1. Itis provided with the usual pivoted knuckle 2, a rigid guard arm 3 andpivot bearings by which the head may be connected to the coupler stem ordrawbar. The knuckle 2 is preferably pivoted to the coupler head by thepin 5, and may be provided with a rearwardly extending arm or tailportion 6 having an outwardly directed hook 7. The numeral 8 designatesthe vertically movable locking pin, which may be provided with a lockingportion 9 and a downwardly directed stem 10. Loosely connected to thetop of the locking portion 9, as for example by pivot lugs 11a, is alink l1, said link serving as a means to connect the locking pin to theoperating mechanism 11b (see Fig. 6). A bar or member 12 is connected tothe lower end of the stem l0, as for example by providing an opening 13in the bar 12 and passing the end of the stem l0 therethrough, the barbeing retained in its position by passing a cotter pin 14 throughregistering openings in said bar and stem. The bar l2 extendstransversely of the coupler head and at its outer end 15 is providedwith an upwardly directed portion terminating in a bearing surface 16.Beneath the floor 17 of the coupler head is a pivot pin or bearing -18for the knuckle opening lever 19, said pin or bearing being preferablyunited to the coupler head by being cast in place therein. The pin 18,as shown, preferably extends at an angle to both the longitudinal andtransverse axes of the coupler head.

rIhe knuckle opening lever 19 is preferably of L-shape and is pivotallymounted at one end on the pin 1S. In the normal position of said leverits opposite end portion 19a extends upward through an opening 19C inthe floor of the head and lies in the recess formed by theV rear face ofthe knuckle tail 6 and the forward face of the hook 7 of the knuckle 2.Downwardly projecting from said lever 19 and opposite the arm 19a is aprojection 19h, said projection being adapted to be contacted by thebearing surface 16 of the bar 12 to operate said lever. Downwardlyprojecting vertical guide flanges 21, 21 may be provided upon the bottomof the coupler head adjacent the outer end of the bar 12 for guiding thelatter in its movements, said flanges being spaced apart laterally andextending inwardly and being preferably integral with a vertical flangeor wall 22.

In Fig. 6 is shown a buifer beam 23, a buffer plate 24, a foot plate 25,a carry-iron 26 and a coupler stem or drawbar 1a to which the couplerhead 1 is pivotally connected by the pivot pin 1a. There is also shownthe outer end of an uncoupling mechanism designated by the referencecharacter 11b. Since these parts form no part of the invention asclaimed no further detailed description of them is deemed necessary.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown a slightly modified construction. In thesefigures the knuckle opening lever pivot pin 18C is shown as separatefrom and separably attached to the coupler head beneath the floorthereof, one end of said pin being seated in a recess 1SEL in said headand the opposite end of said pin being seated in a recess formed by adownwardly projecting bracket or lug 18". A cotter pin 2T whichpreferably extends downwardly through openings in said bracket 1Sb andpin 18C retains said pin in position. In place of the parallel, spaced,vertical guiding flanges shown at 21, 21 in the construction illustratedin Figs. 1 to 6, I may provide a vertical and outwardly directed wall 28upon one side of the bar or member 12a and provide on the opposite sideof said bar or member a parallel guide flange or member 29 consisting ofa vertical flange 30 and a beveled reinforcing rib 31.

The operation of my device is as follows: An upward movement of thelocking member 8 to unlocked position will bring the surface 16 of thebar 12 into contact with the projection 19b of the knuckle opening lever19 and will cause the said lever to rotate so as to bring the arm 19athereof into contact with the rear wall of the knuckle tail 6. A furthermovement of the locking member S will now cause a movement of saidknuckle opening lever 19 and owing to the position of the point ofcontact of the actuating means 12 with said lever, and also to the shapeof said lever, a relatively small upward movement of the locking memberS from unlocked position will cause a complete movement of the knuckleopening lever 19. It will be noted that owing to its location said lever19 follows the knuckle tail and remains in contact therewith during thewhole range of movement of said tail from closed to full open position.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. The combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivoted thereon, alock for said knuckle, a pivoted knuckle opening lever having an armwhich extends through the licor of the coupler head, actuating means forsaid lever, said means including a transversely extending member on theknuckle side of said head, and guiding means for said member arrangedbeneath the floor of said coupler head.

2. The combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivoted to saidhead, a lock for said knuckle, a knuckle opening lever pivoted beneaththe floor of said head and provided with an arm extending through saidfloor, the pivot of said lever being intermediate the knuckle side ofsaid head and said lock, actuating means for said lever, said meansincluding a transversely extending arm, and guiding means for said arm.

3. The combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivoted thereon, alock for said knuckle, a knuckle opening lever, said lever being pivotedbeneath the floor of said head and on the knuckle side thereof, an armon said lever for contacting with the rear face of the knuckle tail,actuating means for said lever, said means including a transverselyextending member rigidly connected to said lock, and guiding means forsaid member.

4. The combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivoted thereon, alock for said knuckle, a knuckle opening lever pivoted beneath the doorof said head and provided with an arm extending through said floor, saidarm being adapted to contact with the rear face of the knuckle tail,actuating means for said lever, said means including a bar connected tosaid lock and being adapted to operate said lever after a predeterminedmovement of said lock, and downwardly projecting guides for said bar.

5. The combination with a coupler head, of a knuckle pivoted thereon, alock for said knuckle, a knuckle opening lever which is pivoted beneaththe floor of the said head between the lock and the knuckle side of thelll@ head and which is movable in a plane formlever being on the sameside of the pivot of ing an angle with both the longitudinal and saidlever as said arm. 10 transverse axes of said head and which is Intestimony Whereof affix my signature, also provided with an arm to oneside of said in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. pivot, andactuating means for Said lever, JOSEPH KELSO.

said means including a member connected Vitnesses:

to and movable by said lock, the point of J. W. HARTLEY,

Contact between the said means and said F. D. ECKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

